Woody > Picea > Picea pungens > Picea pungens f. glauca
Picea pungens
f. glauca
Colorado Blue Spruce
Origin: Southwestern United States, introduced to Ontario in 1862.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A very common landscape tree in Southern Ontario, with a wide variety of forms and colours amongst those planted. Cultivars of the form are more consistent and uniform and hence my preference towards them over the form.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Pinaceae |
| Genus |
| Picea |
| Species |
| pungens |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Forma |
| glauca |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 5 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 2 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -46 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -10 |
| Height |
| 40 m |
| Spread |
| 3-6 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Picea pungens f. glauca is variable in form and colour intensity. It can be broad and squat to narrowly pyramidal, while colour intensity can vary from a dull blue-green to a rich, intense blue. |
| Landscape |
| Often used as an accent or specimen plant. Suited to windbreak, highway and urban planting since it is highly salt-tolerant. |
| Cultivation |
| Grows well on most soil types except in wet or boggy conditions. Tolerant of drought, road salt and mild urban pollution. |
| Shape |
| Conical/pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Varying forms and intensity of colour. Needles are four sided, leaving the petiole on the stem when removed. The cones have distinct wavy scales. |
| Pests |
| Aphids, caterpillars, bagworm, gall insects, needle cast, nematodes, rust, saw flies, scale, spider mites and canker. |
| Habitat |
| Southwestern United States. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Blocky, grey-brown. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Yellow-brown, broadly conical to spherical, blunt, not resinous. Scales loosely appressed and long-pointed. |
| Leaf Description |
| Spread around the stem, 15-30 mm long and ridged, stout and very prickly, usually a dull grey-green to blue-green colour with the new growth more intense in colour. |
| Flower Description |
| The tree is monoecious with the small staminate flowers being a deep orange colour while the pistillate flowers are a dull green to purple colour. |
| Fruit Description |
| Oblong, cylindrical, with a short stalk. Cones are a light beige and are about 5–6 cm long and 2.5 cm wide with wavy scales and toothed at the apex. |
| Colour Description |
| Blue-green needles, and grey-brown bark. Cones are green when young, tan or beige when ripe. |
| Texture Description |
| Medium-fine foliage, coarse bark. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The Gardens of Fanshawe College, London, Ontario. |
| Propagation |
| Propagated by seed; requires no pretreatment and thus can be sown when ripe or stored for a later date. Cultivars are grafted in January or February. |
References
The Gradens of Fanshawe College, London, Ontario.
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